Does your practice have an Instagram account? Maybe you're considering adding it or haven't used it in a while. Here are some tips on how to successfully market and engage with pet owners on Instagram.

Your veterinary practice likely knows the importance of having a Facebook page, but what about Instagram? 

If you haven’t tried Instagram, your practice is missing opportunities to engage with pet owners and draw in new clients. 

The following tips on Instagram marketing for veterinary practices will set your business up for success on this popular social media platform.

Instagram Dos for Your Veterinary Practice

Follow these Instagram pointers to connect with pet owners, improve loyalty, and attract new clients to your veterinary practice.

Do Feature Your Clients

Instagram users love to see themselves featured on social media, so update your feed with pictures of real clients regularly. 

Try posting photos of pets in exam rooms or show off your team interacting with pets. Instagram users will receive a notification when you post, allowing them to interact with you through likes and comments. Just remember to obtain permission from clients before posting.

Do Show Off Your Staff

When posting to Instagram, don’t forget about your staff.

Share photos of your team working around the practice to give users a behind-the-scenes look at their daily lives. Include interesting details about each team member, such as their pets, hobbies, favorite foods, etc. Clients will enjoy interacting with your staff and getting to know them better.

Do Use Instagram Stories and Reels

Instagram Stories and Reels provide a fast and fun way to connect with your users. 

Stories are temporary and will disappear from feeds within 24 hours unless users save them in their highlights. Your practice can leverage these to invite quick reactions and ask interesting questions to prompt user engagement. 

Reels are short, highly edited videos that can be very engaging with your users.

Do Run Exciting Contests

Everyone loves a contest, and that includes pet owners. 

An Instagram contest will attract potential clients and improve engagement with current ones. 

Need contest ideas? Try giving away a prize to Instagram users who:

• Refer new customers to your practice

• Record themselves completing a challenge

• Share the best photo

• Write the best caption for your image

• Answer a trivia question

Do Promote Upcoming Events

If your veterinary practice hosts exciting events or celebrates fun holidays, try using Instagram marketing to promote them. Your events will garner more attention and lead to better turnouts, translating into potential business for your practice.

Do Follow Other Local Practices

Following other veterinary practices and local businesses is a smart way to stay in touch with your community. 

You’ll gain insights into challenges, conversations, and events that can give you more ideas for your marketing strategy.

Instagram Don’ts for Your Veterinary Practice

For the best chance of success on Instagram, you can’t simply start posting and hope for the best. Below, learn what not to do when managing your veterinary practice’s Instagram.

Don’t Post Images of Your Clients Without Permission

Posting photos of clients without permission not only violates their privacy, but you’ll also lose your clients’ trust. Before posting any content featuring clients, remember to ask first.

Don’t Post Too Often

Many veterinary practices are tempted to go overboard with Instagram, but posting too much only annoys users and can cause them to stop following your business. That’s why you should post just once or twice per day.

Don’t Focus Solely on Veterinary Services

Don’t limit yourself to posting photos of your practice and veterinary services. 

Users prefer variety, so too many posts on one topic can turn them off. 

Plus, they’ll feel like you’re constantly advertising, which can cause your current followers to unfollow you as well as scaring off potential clients. 

Post a solid mix of other content alongside your veterinary service offerings to strike the best balance.

Follow These Best Practices for Instagram Success

Does your veterinary practice need a helping with growing its client base? Chckup offers tools to help you streamline your practice and book more appointments. 

Schedule a demo to learn more about our services today.